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“Your Honor—”

“Hush” My father waved his hand as if Jonah were a fly that needed swatting He turned to Abraham “Answer the question Are you sure who you saw?”

Abraha a wad of tobacco Then he spoke

“I knoas Mr Stephens shooting, ’cause I saw him clear as day I heard Jimmie when he fell and hit the roof I knew that’s who it was ’cause I’d watched hiain, when he fell”

Good for you, Abraham, I cheered silently Give it back to him Stick him with the truth

“And that’s the way you remember it?” Lewis said

“Yes, sir But not only that That’s hoas”

“How is your memory these days, Mr Cross?”

“Sharp as a serpent’s tongue, sir,” he said

That got a chuckle from the spectators

Lewis smiled too “How old are you now, Mr Cross, sir?”

“Mama always said I come into Miss’ippi the same year Miss’ippi joined up with the United States”

“And Mississippi became a state in 1817,” said Lewis “So that would make you…”

“Eighty-nine,” Abraham said “Same as Miss’ippi”

Another laugh If the jury was anything like the audience, so Abraham’s company